A doctor tells how they launched an early intervention service in India for children with disabilities, who in local society typically have very low chances of survival.
A moment of therapy with one of the patients.
MERCÈ LEONHARDT
Nine years ago they started the program Early Intervention from the Vicente Ferrer Foundation for the early care of babies and children in their first years of life with possible difficulties.
The first time Mercè and her husband arrived in Anantapur, they knew that a newborn with a disability had little chance of survival, because they could die not only because of their fragility, but because Indian society condemned them.
The first meeting with Vicente Ferrer was very interesting, as he sensed the need to specifically care for the youngest children. He was aware that to achieve this, a care program was needed to help them reduce the consequences and risks arising from their disabilities, as well as, where possible, make efforts to prevent them.
Dr. Mercé Leonhardt and her team.
They launched month-long courses aimed at teaching children how to identify everything from cerebral palsy to various sensory deficits such as blindness and deafness at early ages. At the same time, workshops were organized to discover the best way to recognize a child's disability at birth, so they can be cared for from the very beginning.
Many ideas came out of the workshops and one of those that took shape was the so-called Under the Palm Tree, Because it is where the village elders usually meet to exchange impressions and learn about everything that is happening. There they learn about births and learn about any incidents that may have occurred. This was the starting point: the palm tree was an ally for the objective and would help begin to organize the program of Early Intervention.
Once Mercè and Ferran had returned to Barcelona, a month later, the coordinator, Mr. Chinnappa, wrote to them about the future program, informing them that he had identified 100 children with various problems. They mobilized and returned two months later, this time accompanied by a small team of three professionals to train Indian specialists in the treatments to be applied to children with disabilities.
More and more children are receiving specialized care and are enjoying the active participation of parents who are beginning to look to their children's future with hope.
They also created training committees, which included visits to all children and babies who needed special attention. The team grew to include a pediatric neurologist, speech and language therapists, ophthalmologists, optometrists, and physical therapists, who have further developed the program's scope. Currently, a member of the organization remains with the Indian team for extended periods of time to support them and continue to focus the initiative on the needs of the children.
Currently, Ms. Lawla Zulekha coordinates the team, which has a broad vision of the organization and is capable of creating a cohesive, strong, and sensitive team in the face of pain and suffering. However, more and more children are receiving specialized care and are enjoying the active participation of parents who are beginning to look to their children's future with hope.
There's still a long way to go. There are six regions with six specialists who care for all the children in the program. It's not easy, but the enthusiasm, interest, and dedication of the young Indian team, who strive every day to provide accurate diagnoses and treatment for the babies and support the parents, remain with us.
Text adapted by MARIONA ALSEDÀ FLORENSA
Fountain: Vicente Ferrer Foundation